Jump to content

Virgin viewing of Apocalypse Now


Mitth'raw'nuroudo
 Share

Recommended Posts

Guest El Chalupacabra

 

Apocalypse Now, Citizen Kane and the Godfather are films that invoke gasps when I claim that they are boring and overrated.

Kane and godfather I'll give you(godfather II to pretty damn good though), but I think Apocalypse Now is hands down THE quintessential war movie, at least of the relatively few I've seen.

 

Full Metal jacket in my opinion, slightly edges out Apocalypse Now, but both movies are among my all time favorites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home sick from work today, I watched another one that a lot of people can't believe I've never seen: The French Connection.

 

I don't know how this is a classic. Maybe it's one of those "this is the first time that was done" movies(?), but man, an hour of boring, drawn-out, go-nowhere drama/suspense that builds to a climax that doesn't even quite climax. Maybe it was good in its day, but in this day, don't waste your time.

Do not take this the wrong way, but your "climax that doesn't even quite climax" is so indicative of audiences reared on the "payoff" and/or feel good ending brand of filmmaking initiated by Jaws and Star Wars, in particular. TFC's ending is a realistic one: the heroin bust is a success, but Doyle's increasingly personal grudge against Alain Charnier (and do-anything mentality) overwhelms his common sense; he will not be satisfied, as Charnier escapes. That--like many a real crime / criminal does not have a fixed, nice ending, as endless movies (usally slicked-up hits) would in the 80s-forward. I find a film such as The Untouchables less satisfying because of its need to have a feel good, bow-on-top ending (even after half the team is murdered).

 

Friedkin's choices took certain liberties with the real case, but his result certainly mirrored the brutal, uphill struggles of real, early 1970s law enforcement (New York more than most American cities), so instead of having Doyle's often offensive, reckless behavior fully vindicated by capturing Charnier, he loses him--and that's it. No "i'll chase you to the ends of the earth!" no "It's not over....this is just the beginning!!!" type of conclusion. Nothing neat, nothing wrapped up to allow the audience to think--even for a second--that the law always comes through.

 

...and not meaning you, but for anyone only defining the film based on the car chase scene, that's about as insightful (not) as saying Ben Hur was about the chariot race.

 

In other words, did bother to see the film?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Home sick from work today, I watched another one that a lot of people can't believe I've never seen: The French Connection.

 

I don't know how this is a classic. Maybe it's one of those "this is the first time that was done" movies(?), but man, an hour of boring, drawn-out, go-nowhere drama/suspense that builds to a climax that doesn't even quite climax. Maybe it was good in its day, but in this day, don't waste your time.

Do not take this the wrong way, but your "climax that doesn't even quite climax" is so indicative of audiences reared on the "payoff" and/or feel good ending brand of filmmaking initiated by Jaws and Star Wars, in particular. TFC's ending is a realistic one: the heroin bust is a success, but Doyle's increasingly personal grudge against Alain Charnier (and do-anything mentality) overwhelms his common sense; he will not be satisfied, as Charnier escapes. That--like many a real crime / criminal does not have a fixed, nice ending, as endless movies (usally slicked-up hits) would in the 80s-forward. I find a film such as The Untouchables less satisfying because of its need to have a feel good, bow-on-top ending (even after half the team is murdered).

 

Friedkin's choices took certain liberties with the real case, but his result certainly mirrored the brutal, uphill struggles of real, early 1970s law enforcement (New York more than most American cities), so instead of having Doyle's often offensive, reckless behavior fully vindicated by capturing Charnier, he loses him--and that's it. No "i'll chase you to the ends of the earth!" no "It's not over....this is just the beginning!!!" type of conclusion. Nothing neat, nothing wrapped up to allow the audience to think--even for a second--that the law always comes through.

 

...and not meaning you, but for anyone only defining the film based on the car chase scene, that's about as insightful (not) as saying Ben Hur was about the chariot race.

 

In other words, did bother to see the film?

 

Cheers. I like a good cathartic ending as much as the next guy(unless the next guy is Akira Toriyama), but when it comes to movies like Apocalypse now, a big hit of an ending would be a disservice to the movie. Kinda like how

The Blue Lagoon keeps going after they eat the berries.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.